


Love Inside

by lvscmine



Category: Actor RPF, American (US) Actor RPF, Michael B. Jordan (Actor), Michael B. Jordan - Fandom
Genre: F/M, One-Sided Attraction (at first), Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Slow Burn, Snapshots, Some hoe shit, somewhat slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-10-07 02:13:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17357009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lvscmine/pseuds/lvscmine
Summary: She's dangerous. And he likes a little danger.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! So I got burned out, and I've been gone for a while. But here I am, with this foolishness. Enjoy.

Most of the night had been consisting of him watching. Simply watching.

Usually, he was a little more active—never truly the intentional life the party or the premeditated center axis, but just present enough to show that he was in the moment. And yet, tonight he just wasn’t in the mood to do anything but watch. A couple shots of Hennessy had the room feeling like it was lit on fire, and his eyes sat low-lidden behind his full-moon shades as he watched her from afar.

She looked like cold fire in the bright blue body-con dress, dark twists flowing flawlessly to the deep bass. Her hips rocked and rolled to the beat, and the lights made already picturesque brown skin glow. He had to figure out how to get to her without drawing too much attention. The music smoothly melded together, and he rubbed his chin gently, aimlessly playing with his beard as he continued to think things over. He glanced down at the empty shot glass in his hand, and a smirk curled at the corner of his lips.

Standing up, he walked through the crowd, only stopping when it was necessary. When he finally did get around to passing her, he made a point to press close to her, a hand pressed to her lower back as he leaned into her.

“Excuse me.”

He passed her, and he looked over his shoulder to make sure his move was effective. When he noticed that she was looking, he quickly nodded his head towards the door. She raised her eyebrows, and he headed towards the door. She was pretty small compared to him, but it was still a wonder how she made it to the door before him, clutch in one hand and two small bottles of water in the other. He had to wonder if she’s done this before—either that, or she was extremely resourceful, even within her inebriation.

He took the bottle from her and mouthed for her to stay there for a moment. She seemed to come out only when the valet returned his car, keeping a distance long enough to not gain too much attention. Yeah, she’s done this before.

He pulled from the curb once she got into the car, and he instantly turned down the stereo, the only rumble present now being the purr of the engine. He gripped the steering wheel as his eyes darted around, trying to find somewhere to conduct the next plan of action. He couldn’t hit up any of the nearby hotels—too easy, too predictable. He pulled to a stop sign, uncapping the water he was given previously before taking a generous gulp and sating the dryness in his mouth.

“Let’s try over here,” She suggested, and he looked to his left, generally towards where she pointed. Nothing but an empty alley. He glanced in her direction, eyebrow quirked. “Waiting on you to find a place will take too long,” She has absolutely done this before, and thankfully she was impatient as he was.

“Touché.”

* * *

Eloquence wasn’t the name of the game, not tonight. He usually had more to offer, but the liquor pumping through his veins had him thankful that he didn’t need to give her extra to have her ready. She didn’t care for foreplay, and made it known when she went for his zipper the moment he parked. Fuck, had him in her mouth just long enough for her to get acquainted with the taste, then he situated his seat back for her to straddle him. No panties, no problem—his head was spinning by the time she sank down on him. Their breaths hitched in unison, and his eyes slowly closed as he took a grip of those spread hips that enticed him in the first place. His fingers tugged at the soft material of her dress until it was bunched around her waist, pressing into flesh once he could get to it. It was sensory overload; she smelled like Dior perfume and shea butter, her lips tasted like cotton candy, and she was so warm and slippery that even him calling to God would be futile.

It was so filthy and completely without pride. Borderline dangerous. But he loved danger.

“Bounce on that shit…”

The natural gravel to his voice only heighten due to the alcohol, warm breath splayed against the skin of her neck as he squeezed her sides, her pants and squeaky moans making him squeeze tighter in an odd moment of possession. Subtle smacks of their connecting bodies sounded through the cabin of the car, his head resting against the back of the seat as glittery kisses were stamped against his neck.

“Shit, hold on—”

She hissed before she leaned back, propping herself against the steering wheel before she went back to the rock of her hips, the dim lighting of the street light outside being the only guide in their quick journey. Her position lightened a bit of the weight on his lap, giving him space to join the rhythm. Her inner thighs tensed, and he looked up at her, eyes burning with determination as his jaw flexed momentarily.

“You like that, huh?”

She chuckled softly, hissing as her teeth clenched together. “Stay right there, Mike.”

He kept the stroke deep and at the angle she was at, he could feel every warm ridge of her inside. He moved one hand from her side, pressing it against her lower stomach before strumming the pad of his thumb against her clit, feeling how stiff the nub was. He watched her head lean back, her hand pressed to the windshield as she began to speed her hips. She gained a little more control this way, circling her hips as she slowed the fall of her hips. His eyebrows furrowed when he felt her walls close in around him when her hips rose. She was milking him, trying to make him finish first. Arrogant, but it made his chest tighten. He pinched her clit, watching her stiffen as she let out a loud gasp.

He threw off her rhythm and started one of his own, making her stay still as he allowed himself to commit the feeling of her to memory. That velvety, warm, silken memory that would hold a face and no name, remnants spiraling down a Hennessy-tainted drain. It’d be a fleeting memory, but he’d be damned if he wasn’t trying to grab onto the slippery strands. Fog stained the windows, and the street light made the sweat on her skin look like melting sugar. It made him wish he had taken a little more time. His tongue wiggled in his mouth, his taste buds yearning for a taste. When he looked down and noticed the cream left behind on his shaft, that only made him want to taste her more.

“Oh _fuck_ , Michael…”

Both hands pressed down on her thighs, holding her in place as he pressed his hips upwards, going as fast as the position would allow. He grunted as he watched her bounce carelessly, her dress looking like a waist accessory at this point—her chest had long since escaped the top, and it had been threatening to slip up over her hips long before she got into his car. A couple of her twists hung in front of her face, sticking to her skin. Light eye make-up was still in place despite the sweat, but her lip gloss was smudged from her lips, and it was probably all over him at this point. She breathed his name again, earning her another deep stroke that caused her to whine loudly. The wet squelches from below made the strokes grow more and more erratic, and when she finally caught his rhythm and moved in tune?

“Shit. Keep goin’…take that dick…”

His short fingernails dug into the flesh of her thighs as he felt her walls once again take him hostage, and he glanced upward, noticing her lip quivering as she suddenly tensed. She let out a loud moan, and he could feel another wave of warmth glaze over his frame, and eventually on him literally. She slowly got herself off him and her head was back in his lap, slurping up what she left on his shaft. But now, she was bobbing her head aggressively, her tongue making a conscious effort to tickle the sensitive spot below his tip.

A string of curses escaped him as he closed his eyes, no longer fighting the pinching at the pit of his stomach. Eventually, he felt his balls tense, then his body went numb as he felt load shoot into a warm and seemingly endless place. When he looked down, he watched her swallow every last drop of him, letting out a heavy breath when she finally pulled her mouth away. She licked over her lips before she grabbed her clutch, pulling out a small package of wipes.

“You need one?”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

They cleaned themselves up and readjusted their clothes, and as he seemed to make his way back to the club, she was reapplying her lip gloss, that sparkly fucking goop that would probably still leave glitter on his skin days after the fact. She requested to be dropped off a little distance away from the club, and he couldn’t help but rehash on the thought that she had done this before.

“Thanks. That was fun,” He unlocked the doors once he stopped on the curb.

“Yeah,” She opened the door. “Thanks. Good job in the new movie, by the way,” She stepped out of the car, and he tilted his head as he watched her walk down the sidewalk, giving no indication of what had just went on.

He sighed as he laid his head back against the headrest, letting out a small laugh. Yeah, he liked a little danger every now and again.


	2. Chapter 2

He didn’t see her again for a month.

It wasn’t like he didn’t expect that outcome—he didn’t get a phone number or anything to keep up with her. But every so often, that night would cross his mind and completely throw him out of his groove. He wasn’t used to that, because he usually had a laser focus and a near tunnel vision in his tasks. But somehow, she’d infiltrate his thoughts. Fuck, he could still hear her in his mind, the lift of her voice scratching at the back of his skull.

There was no surprise, however, when he saw her again at a Golden Globes afterparty.

After the night he had to endure—being around all those stuffy suits, practically doing nothing aside from doing that _goddamned_ gesture on stage—he had hit the bar as soon as he arrived at one of many parties going on in the area. He needed something dark and strong to ease his nerves, and that’s when he saw her. She wasn’t in motion like the night he met her, but she was still stunning and made him stop in his tracks. Her hair was now in a soft curl pattern, and the gold dress she had on once again gave her that almost unrealistic glow.  He watched her wrap her glossed lips around the black straw that protruded out of her martini glass, and he couldn’t help but to imagine her lips around him.

_Fuck out of here, man. Calm down._

He had to have been looking at her for too long, because their eyes met. Those big brown eyes seemed to stare into his soul, and he felt a magnetic pull when he noticed the coy smirk that tugged at her lips. Once he got close enough, she sat down her drink. “Hello again,” He noticed the little accent now that he wasn’t so distracted. She’s a West Coast girl? Convenient...

“What’s up?” He sounded so eager, and he instantly regretted it—even more so when she let out an amused giggle.

“Hangin’,” She answered, turning in her bar stool to face him. “I’m surprised you’re not at the Netflix party. I heard that’s where the turn up is at,” She tilted her head, thick and plush curls only looking softer up close.

“I needed some quiet time,” His hand reached to rub the hair on his chin to keep it busy, his fingers pressing into the glass in his hand.

“Right,” She nodded. “Sorry about tonight, by the way,” He recognized her condolence immediately, and he shook his head. She was the first to say it.

“No need to be,” He threw back the rest of the liquor in his glass, sitting it down. He felt the warmth prickle at his chest, causing him to let out a soft hiss before he was approached by a bartender.

As the man remade another glass of coke and bourbon for him, she shrugged. “I mean, y’all didn’t have to win, but fucking Bohemian Rhapsody? So much for ‘Time’s Up,’” She snorted. He had no answer for her, but he appreciated that he didn’t feel alone in how he thought. He hated having to play the game this way, but it was what it was...

“What’re you doing here?” He asked. “Thought you’d be at the Netflix party already,” Was it wrong to assume she was a party girl? Given, the party they were at now was still buzzing with people, but it was more of a lounge affair, and a stepping stone to the actual party.

“My date wanted to come here,” She announced casually, and although he managed not to make a face, his arched brow kind of gave away his feelings about the revelation. “Not sure where he went, though. He needs to hurry up before I leave him,” She threatened to no one.

“What’s your limit?”

“What?”

The two locked eyes again, and he felt this burning in his bones. Need. “How long do you wait for a date before you consider yourself free?” He asked, and she chuckled.

“Fifteen. We’re on minute nine,” She revealed, and he smiled.

So, for six minutes, they drank in silence and when she looked like she was ready to leave, he grabbed her hand and they were off. He figured they’d head off to the Netflix Party and continue the night there but was mistaken when she tugged his hand towards the women’s bathroom.

Somehow, they slipped in unnoticed, and once she had him locked in the handicapped bathroom with her, she pressed him to the wall and kissed him with a force that boiled his blood. His hand slid to the back of her neck, holding it tightly as their lips fought for dominance. When her long legs wrapped around his waist, he turned them around and propped her against the accessibility bar. If this was what she wanted, then...

He watched as she undid the jacket of his tuxedo, then the slacks—meanwhile, he’s tugging her dress over her hips, distracted by her lips against the center of his throat. He growled under his breath, and she let out a soft giggle.

“You missed me?”

Her voice was misleading as fuck. Soft and gentle, nearly angelic and saccharine—yet, she made him feel like his body was burning from the inside. This had to be a form of Hell. “Yeah...”

“You missed this pussy, huh?” The tone of her voice glazed his senses like her juices glazed his length as he slid back inside her.

“ _Fuck_ yeah...” He groaned. She was so warm...so fucking tight... Is he losing his mind? He had to have been losing his mind...

He pressed her to his chest as his hips rocked with reckless control, her little whimpers and moans only making him slide deeper inside her. Every stroke had him bottoming her out, his mouth formed in an ‘o’ shape every time he felt her walls clamping around him, sucking him in, never letting him rear back even for a moment.

And then, the door to the bathroom opened.

He pressed his hand to her mouth, and they locked eyes as he felt her hips still rocking against him. He furrowed his eyebrows as he tried to fight the pleasured groans that wanted to escape him. He watched her smile reach her eyes, then felt her lips press to the palm of his hand. The conversation that went on between the two women grooming themselves in the mirror was only background noise. Once the room went silent again, he decided that he needed to finish this up, and quickly. He wasn’t entirely sober, but he was sober enough to know that he could not afford to get caught like this. But she felt so good, he almost didn’t care. Almost.

“Michael,” She whined, and he felt himself twitch inside her. His lips crashed into hers as he felt that familiar squeeze and release, only stepping back when she forced him off her. His eyebrows raised as she squatted in front of him, those lips wrapped around his twitching muscle just as he had imagined before. This was insane. There was no way this girl could be real. She tugged at him with purpose, tongue teasing at the underside of his length as she looked up at him. He noticed the glitter of her eyeliner, and the warm palette of her eye shadow matched perfectly with her skin. He shouldn’t have been this enamored by the sight of her with his dick in her mouth. He wasn’t that type of person...and yet...

She had to be some type of demon. That was it.

“Shit,” He hissed once he felt her nails tickle at his heavy sac, feeling his stomach tense as he reached to take hold of the bar bolted into the wall. He bit into his lip tightly as he felt himself release into her mouth. He tightened the grip on the bar, body frigid and still until she had sucked out every last drop. They were quiet as they cleaned themselves up, and he snuck out of the bathroom first.

When he tried to find her again, she was gone. He almost wanted to ask himself if that even happened at all.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry. I'm trying my best, lmfao.

Two weeks had passed, and Michael was sure he was losing his mind.

He had been in and out of late-night television gigs and interviews—2019 was already serving to be a busy year. Still, he wasn’t completely focused. He was tired, but that wasn’t even the tip of what was bothering him. _She_ was on his mind, and he couldn’t quite get away from the thought of her. When he saw the color gold, he remembered her. Certain chords in songs reminded him of her, and the scent of Dior made his mind flash back to the sight of her with her lips around him... It kind of ticked him off. Every time he was around her thus far, she’d blow his mind only to slip through his fingers. It had him determined to find her again. But how do you find a woman of the night that always slips into the darkness?

He felt like it was fate when he found her at the Whole Foods, in the produce section. After his morning workout, he knew he needed to restock his groceries and the best time to go to the store was early in the morning so that he wouldn’t be caught up in the crowd and cause any chaos. Apparently, she also shopped early in the morning...

She looked quite different outside of the night lights. Her curls were now piled on her head in a puff ball, dressed comfortably in fitness gear. She looked through the different fruits and vegetables. He tried not to stare as he pushed his cart, clearing his throat gently once he got close enough. She looked over her shoulder and she raised an eyebrow. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” She teased.

He smacked his teeth, furrowing his eyebrows when she let out a small laugh. “You think you’re funny?” He asked.

“Hilarious,” She said, not looking at him as she weighed the apples she had collected in a small plastic bag. “So? What do you want?” She asked.

Damn. This girl was tough. “So, you fuck and duck? You didn’t seem like the type,” He mumbled as he looked through the lemons nearby.

“Oh, whatever,” She waved him off. “Is that all you want to bother me about? It’s sex, don’t think too deep into it,” She turned to face him, and he merely stared at her. Damn...she really was beautiful, even more so now that he could fully see her. “Now, what do you really want?”

“Your name,” He said. “Just tell me your name, at least...”

“Why?”

“Because I want to know.”

“But why do you want to know?”

He pressed his lips together before he turned back towards the fruit, placing a couple lemons into a plastic bag. “I think you’re attractive. And we clearly got some type of chemistry if you can easily swallow my dick the way you did. So, I want to at least put a name to a face so that I can stop thinking of you as the nameless party girl that tried to suck my soul out,” He explained.

She laughed, harder than he would have liked. “You were thinking about me?” He looked at her before he twisted his lips to the side, sighing as he rolled his eyes.

“You’re really about to make this shit difficult for no reason, huh?” He assumed.

“Am I? Am I, really?” She tilted her head as she stared at the profile of his face. She nodded before he placed her apples in her shopping cart. “Okay, this is how it’s going to go,” He looked towards her. “You’ll know me as Velvet,” She decided.

“Velvet.”

“And it’s on sight every time I see you.”

“Woah, what?” ‘On sight’ only meant one thing to him, and he wasn’t sure when this conversation turned to the subject of fighting.

“Yeah. Every time I see you, you’re gonna give me my dick,” His mouth widened in shock. Now, _that_ wasn’t what he expected. “I don’t care where we are, or what you got going on. When I see you, I want my time,” She didn’t even crack a smile as she spoke.

“I... Holy shit,” He laughed softly as he rubbed the back of his neck. “You don’t play, do you?” He asked.

“I don’t. And if we’re going to keep running into each other, we might as well make something out of this,” She pulled out her phone before unlocking it. After some moments, she handed him the phone. “Give me your number, and I’ll save it,” He probably should have had some questions, or at least some resistance. And yet...here he was, giving this demonic woman his phone number.

She saved it, and judging by the vibration in his pocket, she had sent him a text so that he’d have her number as well. He pulled out his phone and read the text—a tongue emoji—and saved the number under the obviously fake name she gave him. “So, when are you going to give me your real name?” He raised an eyebrow, and she looked up at him before cracking a smile.

“When you show me that this is some real shit, Mike.”

And she was gone again. But Michael felt accomplished. He got a name and a number—that meant seeing her again felt a little more tangible. He wasn’t sure why he wanted this as badly as he did, but he felt like he was getting somewhere.

* * *

The bedroom of her penthouse apartment was taken directly from the golden age of cinema—extremely feminine and lavish, from the plush carpet that she had steamed every week, to the satin sheets that adorned her California King...complete with a canopy. Even her vanity looked like something out of the past, as she sat at it, playing in her make-up with nowhere to go. Most of her partying friends were out of town with work, so this Friday night would be spent indoors. She had a set of rules—one of them being that she never went clubbing by herself. Too many weirdos in the world to be that careless.

“Nina, how’s my godson?” Out of all her friends, she cared about her best friend the most. The history went as far back as middle school, and they damn near did everything together since then. College, sorority organization, and even entry level workforce. As the years went by, they went different ways financially and socially, but they had stayed friends throughout. And out of everyone, her best friend knew how to keep her grounded.

“He’s doing. Trying to get used to being in grade school,” Nina hummed before letting out a small laugh. “We might come out one weekend, he misses his Ti-Ti,” She teased, using the endearing nickname her son had given her.

“And Ti-Ti misses her baby,” She grinned. “But y’all should. I haven’t been doing much outside of work,” She huffed softly.

“That’s not what Instagram shows, honey,” Nina teased, causing the woman to groan. “You know I lurk on your page, Val. Nothing to be huffy about.”

“Whatever,” Val let out a small laugh before she paused. “Anyway, I met someone...”

“Who now? Someone new?”

“Someone new.”

“Who?”

“Your fave.”

“What?!” Nina nearly shrieked. “No fucking way!”

“Yeah,” Val rolled her eyes at the thought of him. “He a persistent little fucker, too. He gets on my nerves,” She complained.

“Maybe that’s what you need,” Nina suggested. “You’re always talking about how these industry guys seem so boring and predictable. Maybe—...”

“I don’t need anything,” Val sucked her teeth as she applied lipstick to her lips. “I certainly don’t need a man. It won’t be long before he turns out to be like every other dude anyway, so let’s not even go there,” She pushed some of her curls out of her face.

“Uh-huh,” Nina replied. “I won’t push it, then.”

“Thanks!”

The peculiar buzzing on her phone made her look towards the device sitting on the countertop of her vanity—once she grabbed it and checked the notification, she tilted her head at the text sent:

Mike – _What’s up?_

She was quite surprised. He had waited three days before texting her; she would have thought that he’d text her right away, considering how she now perceived him to be so persistent.

_Chilling at home. What do you want?_

“Baby, what are you doing?” She heard Nina talking to someone, and Val smiled when she heard the muffled voice of a child. “I need to put Sawyer to bed, so I’ll call you tomorrow,” She announced.

“Gotcha, love you,” Val concluded.

“Love you too!”

As Nina hung up, the phone vibrated again.

**Mike** – _Wanna go out to eat?_

Val raised an eyebrow as she looked at the clock on her phone; it was a little after seven in the evening now. Not too late to do anything, but far too early to not be seen by others. Another thought crossed her mind, and she snorted as she typed her reply.

_Aren’t you afraid of the paparazzi or something?_

She switched to her Instagram application, deciding to share her freshly-done face to her followers. After getting the right angles, she snapped a couple flicks before feeling her phone vibrate in her hand.

**Mike** – _When and where did you hear that? Lol_

She twisted her lips to the side before she sent off the photos, switching back to the conversation thread before standing up and walking away from the vanity. She walked to the kitchen and grabbed a small fruit cup from the fridge, making sure to do everything slowly.

She could only imagine how fast women would try to text him back. Hell, even Nina would probably drop her phone trying to reply to Michael, her husband be damned. That alone made Val want to text him _slower_. She wasn’t sure what went through his mind while he waited for that reply, but it amused her to think that he was anticipating it.

When she finally got back to her bedroom, she had a few notifications. They were all the comments and a couple follow requests on Instagram due to the pictures she had just posted, so she ignored them before reopening Michael’s text thread.

_You don’t like bringing your women in public and everyone knows it. But I am hungry, so bring me food._

She made a point to drop her pin when she sent the message as well. She figured this would turn him off and he’d finally leave her alone. Usually, men didn’t like a girl that was overly bossy or bratty. They loved a submissive woman, especially men in the industry. It was what she came across in her everyday life, so she knew all the ways to turn a man off just as fast as she could turn them on.

**Mike** – _Wow, lol. What you want?_

She raised an eyebrow before she sat up straight, tightening the sash on her silk robe. This man was _persistent_. He probably didn’t give a damn about eating food, and just wanted to see her. She didn’t know how to feel about that...it was as intriguing as it was annoying. It was funny that he felt a way about her comment—whether he felt a way or not, she knew what she knew.

_Mediterranean._

Mike – _Bet._

Val let out a small sigh, eyes rolling upwards before she glanced up at the ceiling. “I guess I should put on clothes...”

As she cleaned off her make-up and put on some lounging clothes, she couldn’t help but let her mind wander into a space of curiosity. It wasn’t like she hadn’t heard about Michael—he was the current name on everyone’s lips and the apple of many women’s eyes. What set him apart from some of the men she had dealt with was that she had little to no information about his relationships.

What little information did come up was all rumor or speculation amongst his more zealous fans and avid haters, and Val couldn’t at all depend on that. But what she knew for sure was that he was a super private person. Him wanting to take her _out_ to eat was against his usual, and she didn’t know whether to be flattered or not. A part of her wanted to be, but the fact was that he was just being...persistent. For what, she wasn’t sure.

By the time she decided on her old college hoodie and yoga pants, she heard her doorbell and three solid knocks.

Val hurried to the door and peeked through the peephole, opening the door before tilting her head up at her guest. The wave of sweet spice reached he nose—cinnamon, cumin, orange blossom, and lavender. She was convinced it wasn’t from the bag of food in his hand, but from his cologne. She could distinctly remember his scent from the last times they had encountered, masterfully complimenting his body chemistry. Michael got on her nerves, yes, but damn...he smelled amazing. And the red turtleneck and black blazer looked amazing on him. _And he had on glasses._

Did she have a glasses kink? She’s never liked glasses before...

“Hey,” He greeted, and she blinked before she nodded. She opened the door a little wider and allowed him inside her home.

“Take the food to the kitchen,” She pointed towards the open kitchen space, and he nodded as he stepped through the home, his scent being left all over the place. She let out a deep sigh before she closed and locked the door.

_‘Pull it together, bitch. It’s just cologne,’_ She thought to herself.

She headed into the kitchen, watching as he neatly placed each takeout box onto the kitchen island. She approached the island to look over the food. “Alright, so I got classic gyros, spiced hummus, some rice pilaf, falafel, stuffed grape leaves, and some baklava for dessert,” He listed, and she nodded slowly.

“Sounds good,” She reached for one of the wrapped gyros, when she was stopped.

His hands were holding hers to restrain her reach, and she raised an eyebrow as she looked up at him. His hands were soft, despite the slight callus. A worker’s hands, but his touch was still so tender. “Nah, this food isn’t free,” He said.

“So, you’re gonna make me suck your dick for dinner?” Her question came out flat and was met with laughter.

“Girl, no,” He rolled his eyes. “You have to pay me in information.”

“Information?”

“Yeah. About you.”

Val could have cursed himself and herself out simultaneously. Of course, he was trying to get close to her, and she wondered why she thought it would end any other way. She huffed softly before she gave a quick roll of the eyes. “Three.”

“Three?” He asked.

“I’ll give you the chance to ask three questions. Make sure they’re good,” She placed down her terms. “Now let go of my hands and let me get my damn food.”

He shook his head slowly as he released her hands, and she grabbed the gyro. “Are you always this uptight?” He asked.

“Yes,” She answered, just to be petty. “That’s one question,” She added. He sucked his teeth in response, and she grinned.

They eventually split up the food, and Val silently enjoyed her food. Every so often, she took the time to steal glances at her guest, noting the way he prepared his food before eating it. Extra Tahiti Sauce on his gyro, with a slight squeeze of garlic cream sauce and a little hot sauce. He put the rest of his sauce in his hummus and saved his rice pilaf and stuffed grape leaves as the last to be eaten. He was eating healthily, but not messily...she had to admit, he was interesting to watch.

“What?”

“Huh?” Val raised an eyebrow, and he tilted his head, almost to ask what she was looking at. But knowing how petty she was being about the questions, he seemed to not want to outright ask her. “Do you expect me to stare at the wall?” She asked, and he chuckled.

“I guess not,” He shrugged before finishing off his food, gently rubbing his stomach in satisfaction.

“So, I’ve never had baklava before,” She admitted. “It’s a pastry, huh?” She asked.

“Yeah, layered with dates, or nuts, and usually sweetened with honey,” He explained as he walked around the table before he opened the box of the treats. Val looked inside the container, and she nodded as she took one out, biting into it. She nodded in approval, and he flashed a bright smile.

She didn’t know he had dimples.

After dinner, he helped her clean up before she was already ushering him to the door. She asked for food and she got it, and now she was ready for him to go. “So, thanks for the food,” She said as they stood in front of the door.

“You’re welcome,” He nodded. She unlocked the door, and she glanced up at him—he was staring at her expectantly. “I still have two more questions,” He said.

“Mm,” She groaned before she turned to face him. “Okay then, shoot.”

“First, what do you do for a living?” He asked. “And, what is your real name?”

“I’m self-employed,” She answered the first one with ease. “As for my name, it’s got a Roman origin,” She grinned at his perplexed expression. “Goodnight, Mike!”

He sighed, and she laughed a bit as he stepped out into the hallway of the apartment building, watching as his shoulders shudder with a chuckle, looking back at her with a small smile. “Goodnight, Velvet,” She winked before shutting the door.

His scent was still lingering in her apartment.


	4. Chapter 4

The nail bar seemed to be virtually empty aside from the employees within it—odd, considering that it was one of the most lucrative and popular nail bars in Los Angeles. But money so easily swayed people, so it didn’t take but a written check for Val to convince the employees to clear the place and block all appointments aside from hers for the first three hours of their morning hours. It was a sunny and cool Friday morning, and with Grammy Weekend right around the corner, she needed to prepare for what would be a busy weekend.

She was hosting a day party on Saturday, and she was invited as a guest to the ceremony as a social influencer. She would be free to peruse the afterparties as she pleased afterwards. Although it didn’t feel like a lot to do, she still needed to look her best. So, her Friday morning seemed like a perfect time to start her primping for the weekend. Inviting her friends out for it was a must and a usual—they’d get their nails and feet done, then went out for brunch.

Val was the first to arrive, dressed comfortably considering all she had to do for the day. She approached the front desk before she pulled out her bank card. “Good morning, I’m here to fulfill my reservation. Party of four under Holmes,” She explained.

The slim and ridiculously tanned receptionist quickly typed on her computer before she nodded. “Yes, of course. Would you like to wait for the rest of your party, Ms. Holmes?”

“Please.”

The receptionist gestured to the plush sitting area, and Val nodded before she took a seat on one of the purple ottomans. She checked her phone, opening her friendship circle’s group chat to announce her arrival.

_I got us situated. Hurry up._

She sent the message with an upside-down smiling emoji, only to be hit with messages a few minutes later.

**_Nina_ ** _– I’m here, just let me park!_

**_Kiki_ ** _– I’m right around the corner._

**_Celine_ ** _– if I don’t make it before them, just start without me. Logan is late picking up the twins again._

Val rolled her eyes slowly at the thought, before she quickly typed a response.

_Will do, C._

She placed her phone on vibrate before she sat her phone in her purse, mindlessly picking up a magazine from the pile that sat on the table. She flipped through it aimlessly before she yawned, crossing her legs over one another before she heard the bell signaling the front door opening. When she saw Nina coming through the door, she grinned before she patted the seat next to her.

The plus-sized beauty made her way over to Val, sharing a tight hug once she took a seat. She pushed the hair of her shortened bob from her face as she spoke. “How are you?” She asked.

“Girl, fine,” Val waved her hand dismissively. “How are you? How’s Ethan and Sawyer?” She asked.

“Oh, we’re all good. They’re having a father and daughter day, so he’s taking her to the aquarium today,” She grinned. “I’m sure I’ll get a phone call from them in a couple of hours, though,” She shrugged.

“Because they’re spoiled and love being up under you,” Val playfully gagged as the doorbell rang again.

“Hello!” Kiki had been the next to arrive, her sing-song greeting as loud as the pink braids in her head.

“Here comes loud ass,” Val playfully scoffed.

“In the motherfucking flesh, bitch,” Kiki stuck her tongue out before she walked over, tugging her jeans up and over her ample curves. She leaned down and pressed a kiss to both Nina and Val’s cheeks. “So, what’s been up?”

“Not much, just been taking care of the family,” Nina explained.

“And you, miss celebrity?” Kiki asked Val with a teasing tone, causing Val to suck her teeth. “What’s new on your block?” She asked.

“Nothing,” As much as she loved Kiki, Val would not and could not trust Kiki with some of the information on her life. The girl couldn’t hold water, and the last time she divulged information to the entire group, she nearly had the whole public in on what was supposed to be a secret. She would be damned if she told her that she was fucking around with Michael of all people. Nina was the sole keeper of such a secret, and she knew not to tell. “The same shit. I got Grammy shit this weekend, so I thought I’d treat you all,” She said.

“When are you going to let one of us do the treating, huh?” Nina nudged Val gently. “You’re always doing for us,” She pouted.

“Eh,” Val gently patted at her afro of tight curls. “You and Celine have kids, and Kiki cheap ass will have me looking torn up trying to save money,” She joked.

“Oh, fuck you! Saving money is pivotal in our social climate,” She shook her head. “And I wouldn’t fuck ya’ll up like that anyway. What kinda bitch do you take me for?”

“An insane one,” Nina and Val said at once.

Eventually, the three headed towards the respective nail tables. Eventually, Celine did show up and joined them, taking the table next to Val as she quickly told the nail technician what she wanted—a classic gel nail with a French tip. Nothing too crazy, on brand for the more reserved woman. “Did Logan finally come?” Val whispered.

“I just dropped them off at my mother’s,” Celine’s voice was mostly Americanized, but her French accent still seemed to be there. Val let out a sigh before rolling her eyes softly. “I know.”

“Mess,” She smacked her teeth. “Anyway, you’re coming with me to the day party tomorrow, yeah?”

“I’ll be there,” Celine before flashing a small smile.

Val nodded before she used her other hand to grab the neck of her champagne glass, taking a sip from it.

Once her nails were finished, she was led over to the massage chair, where she was sat down, and the technician started working on her feet. She was poured another glass of champagne, and she drank while she scrolled through her phone. She yawned a bit when she noticed the notification at the top of her phone’s screen.

**_Mike_ ** _– what’s up?_

She raised an eyebrow before she downed the rest of her champagne. She sat the empty glass down before she decided not to make him wait and reply in a timely manner. Mostly, due to boredom.

_Getting a pedicure. What are you doing?_

She watched as her feet was placed in the warm water, and she relaxed as she went back to parlaying on Twitter. But it wasn’t long before she got another text message.

_Mike – running errands. I had a favor to ask._

_I don’t do favors._

**_Mike_ ** _– okay, lol, it’s more like an invitation!_

_To?_

**_Mike_ ** _– my birthday. I’m having a party tomorrow._

That made sense—he was an Aquarius baby, if she remembered correctly. She just wasn’t sure why he wanted her there. So far, they only ever hung out once without sex, and that was still quick and without much fanfare. She bit the corner of her lip and exhaled. Fuck it.

_Drop the time and place. I’ll see if I can fit it into my schedule._

She didn’t know how long her affair would last, so she wasn’t making any promises that she would be in attendance. But she was intrigued to see what he had going on for his birthday.

**_Mike_ ** _– cool. Hope to see you there._

Before the message, was the time and place. After the message was a smug emotion, and she could almost see him in her mind’s eye, donning the same exact shit eating smirk. She groaned and rolled her eyes as she laid her head back against the chair’s headrest. He was such a fucking persistent pain.

* * *

 

The rest of Val’s Friday consisted of getting a thorough wash and condition from her favorite salon after brunch with her girls, then she went shopping for some last-minute accessories for all her outfits for the rest of the weekend. She got a good night’s rest before she was up bright and early to prepare for her party. Her party was more so for the newbies in the music industry, a safe place where they could be themselves and celebrate their accomplishments throughout the year without the leering eyes of veterans. The party went well and wrapped up cleanly, even to the point that she could go home and take a nap.

When she woke up, she finally decided that she’d go to Michael’s party.

She got into the shower, being careful about washing off before getting out and patting dry. One deodorant and shea butter application later, she went to brush her teeth before she wrapped a towel around her body, entering the bedroom before she placed her phone on her speaker dock. Shuffling through her collection of created playlists, she landed on ‘ready.’ Before she pressed play.

She retreated to her closet and looked through the different dresses and outfits she had in her arsenal. However, she stopped short when she realized that she had a dress she bought from an online boutique that she had yet to wear. Any other time she wouldn’t consider putting it on, but for some reason it was reaching out to her spiritually. Something told her that _this_ would be the number to slip on tonight.

“Well,” She picked it off the hanging rack. “Okay.”

She tossed it onto the bed, and the pair of strappy Saint Laurent heels. It would be the accessories that would carry the outfit this time around. She slipped on a strapless bra and matching underwear before sitting down at her vanity to do her make-up and hair.

While her music served as background noise, she started off by pulling her hair up into a tight and neat bun on the top of her head, watching as a couple unruly curls sprung from her head and ended up in front of her face. She groaned before using a couple bobby pins to keep them in place, then began her look for the night. Since her dress was simple, her make-up had to be dramatic, so she went for the brown glitter eye shadow, somewhat golden highlighting, and a dark brown lip for extra warmth. By the time she had applied her finishing spray, she was more than satisfied with the look. She paused for a moment before deciding to remove the bobby pins, letting the curls fly back in front of her face.

“For character,” She mused to herself.

She then picked up her bottle of _Goldea: The Roman Night Absolute_ before spraying the perfume onto her pulse spots, and on her inner thighs before placing it back on the vanity. Returning to the bed, she grabbed the off the shoulder dress from the bed before sliding it on. The sleeves were long, the material was close to a sweater’s, tied around the waist, and was a warm orange color that was fine for a cool night in February. With it, she put on a pair of stud earrings and some more jewelry. With the shoes and a long winter coat, it looked like a put together look that she enjoyed.

She turned off her playlist before disconnecting her phone from the speaker dock, pulling up the Uber app before calling a cab. She tossed it into her clutch, along with some other essentials before she headed out the door and down to the lobby of her apartment building. “Good evening, Ms. Holmes,” Roger, the doorman, greeted her.

“Hey, Roger,” She greeted with a small smile as she approached the door.

“Another night on the town?” He asked in a lighthearted tone, opening the door for her.

“You know it!” She stepped out into the cool February air, sighing as she stepped towards the end of the curb, watching the presumed cab roll to a stop in front of her. The doorman hurried to come and open the door for her before she stepped inside.

“You’re Val?” The Uber driver assumed.

“Yep,” She said, waving at Roger once he closed the door to the car.

“Great, off we go,” The driver pulled from the curb before heading down the road.

Val quickly swept her gaze over the backseat, seeing the candies and mints on display in small neon baskets, along with a couple charger cords. She attached one to her phone, nodding once she saw the small charging icon attached to her battery. She had a mind to text Michael to let him know she was on the way, but...she changed her mind once she gave it some thought.

Her presence should and would be his greatest present of the night.

* * *

 

So far, Michael was enjoying his first day of being 32.

His day went about as usual as it could get—he worked out with his trainer Corey in the morning, followed by a birthday breakfast with his parents. Then, he had an afternoon outing with his friends, which led into an evening pre-gaming before the party. Now, he was surrounded by friends and colleagues at one of his favorite spots to eat and drink, enjoying things amongst all the stress of awards season. It was slowly coming to an end—the ‘biggest’ night was coming in two weeks and being unsure about how things would turn out was an understatement. So maybe, drinking to keep his mind off it was a good idea.

He had been drinking for hours, now. But his mind wasn’t on work, so maybe it worked. But now his mind was on other things.

He seemed to look at the front door every so often, his eyes lighting up when the door would open, only for his shoulders to drop when it was someone else. At some point he got upset with himself—this was his fucking birthday, and he was spending most of the night being stressed about a woman who didn’t seem to be interested in him.

 _Velvet._ She always seemed to be on his mind these days.

There was a combination of things that had successfully prevented him from going off the deep end, head first into his feelings for her, one of the biggest being his pride. He felt as if he was a grown man, a _grown ass man_ , who didn’t need to be out pining for a woman who wasn’t giving him any clear sign on whether she wanted him or not. She must want him a little bit, considering their agreement—she said it was _her_ dick that sat in his pants...that type of possession wasn’t for nothing, not in his mind.

Another part of it, was his ego. He often didn’t try to address it, but he knew that there were some women who would risk it all just to have a moment of his time. When he _was_ into a woman, however, it helped to know that he was wanted. But it seemed that Velvet didn’t seem at all impressed with him. He didn’t want to admit that it ticked him off a bit. Then again, it seemed like she wasn’t impressed with anything in general. It was as if she had seen it, heard it, done it all before...

But he wouldn’t stop trying. Not until she said out of her mouth that she didn’t want anything to do with him. And that, made him feel desperate. Crazy. Not in control. He hated it.

“Yo,” He felt a nudged, and he looked over to notice the gaze of his best friend. Sterling—or Steelo, as many people knew him as—was his partner in crime and had been since they were teenagers. It was just a fact, and especially in these settings; wherever there was a party to be had, Michael and Sterling were there like Things 1 and 2. “You good, man?”

Michael cleared his throat before he nodded. “Yeah,” He looked down at the empty snifter in his hand, passing the glass in Sterling’s direction. “Pour me some more.”

“Got you.”

Out of instinct, he glanced at the door one more time. And he was floored.

There she was. There she fucking was, making him feel as if a warm breeze had completely taken the winter climate. He already felt as if he was heated from all the drinking he had been doing, but now with her in the room he was now molten from the inside. She was donned with a black winter coat, and even as people in the room were turning to see who the woman was, she seemed to have her sights set on him as she made her way to his table.

“Damn,” Steelo mumbled from Michael’s left. “Who’s that?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Michael sucked his teeth before he stood up, going to meet her halfway.

Once he was within a tangible distance, he could already smell her perfume, and his body instantly reacted by quickening his pace. “Hey!” She graced him with that million-dollar smile, and he cracked a smile of his own before he reached out to hug her. “Happy Birthday,” Her minty breath was cool against his skin as she mumbled against his ear.

“Y—thanks,” He almost said _You too_ like a damned idiot. Get it together, Mike. “Let me help you out of that,” He took a light grip of the lapel of her coat, and she allowed him to slip it off her. He made sure to unwrap her from her cover slowly, his eyes drinking in the image of her dress. It was a warm shade of orange that seemed to make her brown skin glow, and he pressed his lips together as he let out a satisfied grunt. “Trying to outdo the birthday boy?” He teased.

Her jewelry was shining, too. From her diamond studs, and matching choker, to her pinky ring and bracelet, she really looked as if she was dressing to kill. “As always,” She winked, before she let out a small laugh. “But anyways, let’s drink! It’s your birthday, but I need to get fucked up,” She said.

 _Yeah, I’mma fuck you up alright,_ He thought to himself.

And the rest of the night went exactly how he envisioned it—drinking and partying without any cares, with who he thought was the most beautiful girl in Los Angeles. Maybe in the whole damn country. Or the world. Fuck, he was so drunk and disillusioned that he kind of believed that. Or maybe he just really liked her more than he thought he did.

The party had winded down at around 2AM, and Michael finessed an escape with Velvet on his arm—it was hard to explain to his friends where he was going and why, but they were mostly so drunk that they didn’t ask too many questions. Of course, he would hear Sterling’s mouth once the hangover ran its course but at that moment, he didn’t care about anything aside from the cute girl on his arm, burping every so often after one too many rounds of tequila shots.

He chuckled softly as he looked down at her, her cheeks darkened from her drunken flush, only being able to truly see her features when they walked under the street lights. “Mike,” She whined. “Baby, I’m hungry,” She yawned.

“We’re almost there,” He mumbled. They had agreed on the diner down the street, but the bratty woman was even more impatient when she was inebriated. That nickname, though. It was cute to him.

He carefully walked into the restaurant, not seeing anyone around for the most part. Once he and Velvet stepped inside the place, they were quickly sat and given water to start with. Michael knew the menu far better than Velvet did, so he was patient as she read through the menu. She sat it down, and she grinned. “Ready.”

“Got you,” He waved down the one waiter on duty, and he stepped over in their direction.

The young man pulled out his notepad before clicking his pen. “Go ahead.”

“I want a double cheeseburger, no onions or pickles, extra ketchup. I want my meat medium rare, and I’d like a side of chili-cheese fries, and a medium chocolate and peanut butter milkshake,” Both the waiter and Michael looked at the girl as if she had three heads. Yes, it was a lot of food, but—“What? I need the grease to sober up.”

She had a good point.

The waiter nodded before looking towards Michael. “And you, sir?”

“Chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and corn—brown gravy for both the steak and potatoes. And go ahead and add a strawberry shake to that,” He nodded.

“Gotcha. I’ll get those orders in for you guys,” He said before walking away from the table.

“Thank you!” Velvet spoke rather loudly, before she looked at Michael with a small smile. “Enjoying your birthday?” She asked.

“Well, it’s past midnight, ain’t it over now?” He countered.

“It’s not over until you lay down to sleep. Or until Monday. Depends on how you want to view it,” She shrugged.

“Makes sense. But yeah, I’m enjoying it,” He couldn’t keep his eyes off her, even in this state. She was just so fucking gorgeous, even with her being so drunk and outside of her usual demeanor. “...I’m glad you came to the party, V,” He confessed.

“Y’know what? I’m glad I came, too,” She chuckled. “I had a great time. Everyone was so nice, and the drinks were off the chain,” She took another sip of her water. She quickly put the glass back onto the table as if she realized something. “Ooh! I bought you a present,” She said.

“What?” He chuckled. “For real? You didn’t have to.”

He watched as she rummaged through the pocket of her coat, then pulled out the small package—it was a ring pop. Strawberry flavored.

“You wild,” He laughed as she unwrapped it, allowing her to slip it on his finger. He looked at the satisfied smirk on her face, and he nodded as he lifted his hand, giving the candy a tentative lick. “Thank you,” He mumbled.

“You’re welcome,” She was staring at him as if she had been caught in headlights. Good. She can sweat for once.

By the time they were leaving the diner, it was nearly five in the morning, and they were carrying takeout bags with their food in it. He had called them an Uber—the first stop would be to drop her off at home, then the last would get him to his own. They quietly got into the cab, making sure they had everything they came with before they pulled off.

The ride was quiet, and the two would often steal glances at each other—or at least, he was stealing glances at her. This cab was the safest bet after drinking so much, but he honestly wouldn’t mind being alone with her. They probably wouldn’t get too far and would end up asleep with each other, but he didn’t mind that. He’d have time to be upset about liking her so much later on, when he was sober.

“First stop,” The driver pulled in front of Velvet’s building, and she reached over to hug him.

“See ya,” She mumbled, stealing a quick kiss to his cheek before anything look suspicious. She had to have been soberer now—earlier, she probably would have tried to tongue him down with no care of who saw them.

“See you later,” He mumbled, watching as she opened the door. “Call me when you get in your place,” He instructed.

“Why?” She raised an eyebrow.

“Girl. Just do it.”

She rolled her eyes, giving a small smirk before she stepped out of the car, shutting the door. The driver was courteous enough to wait until she got all the way inside the building before pulling off. He sank back in his seat, a few minutes into his ride before he heard his phone’s ringtone. He grabbed it from the pocket of his jeans, nodding when he saw her name glaring across his phone. Pressing the talk button, he places it to his ear. “Hello?”

“I made it in, _Dad_ ,” Her teasing voice made him let out a small chuckle.

“Shut up,” He mumbled. “Alright, though. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Michael,” Was she sounding sexy on purpose? Or maybe he was still drunk. He wasn’t sure. “Happy Birthday.”

He hung up the phone, upset at the stirring in his lap. “Fucker,” He mumbled to himself, laying his head back against the seat and closing his eyes. He was already anticipating a long date with his bed.


End file.
